Disturbing body camera footage released by New York Attorney General Letitia James reveals the brutal assault on Robert Brooks, a 43-year-old inmate at Marcy Correctional Facility, leading to his death on December 10, 2024. The video depicts multiple correctional officers repeatedly punching the handcuffed Brooks, striking him with a shoe, and lifting him by the neck before dropping him onto a medical examination table. The incident occurred just hours after Brooks was transferred to the facility.
The footage, which lacks audio due to deactivated body cameras, captures the officers subsequently removing Brooks' clothing as he lies motionless and bloodied. Governor Kathy Hochul responded swiftly, ordering the termination of over a dozen Department of Corrections and Community Supervision employees implicated in the attack, expressing outrage and horror at the "senseless killing." Preliminary autopsy findings indicate potential asphyxiation from neck compression as the cause of death.
Brooks, serving a 12-year sentence for first-degree assault since 2017, was transferred to Marcy Correctional Facility on the same day of the assault. Attorney General James described the videos as "shocking and disturbing," advising caution before viewing. Following the incident, the corrections department mandated body camera activation for all staff-inmate interactions. Brooks' family lawyer, Elizabeth Mazur, emphasized the video's significance in exposing the "horrific and extreme nature" of the attack, highlighting the officers' responsibility for Brooks' safety. The New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association, while condemning the behavior, stated that the incident does not reflect the work of the majority of its members. The Correctional Association of New York pointed to previous reports of brutality and racism at Marcy Correctional Facility, calling for systemic change to prevent future occurrences.
